what percentage of rooms are held for.cash visitors?

[Sammie]

Not sure what they do at other resorts, but we have never gotten a different room at SSR and OKW whether paying cash or using points.

And we use cash bookings through the DRC (Disney Reservations Center), which is now the name for CRO, using annual pass discounts alot.

As stated by others, there are several reasons rooms are available for cash, the 2-4%, I think it is actually 3% that belongs to DVD, and is never available for point bookings.

Rooms that become available when a member trades out.

And rooms that are not booked by members at 60 days out. These can sometimes be reclaimed by MS and booked for points.

Also as stated by others early Dec and October are peak times for DVC bookings. Even at 7 months out you have to call right at opening time to get what you want and even then sometimes you will have to take what is left.

There is much to like about having DVC and some to not like, you will soon learn both.

 

[crisi]

So CRO takes points out of circulation so they can get paying customers into rooms, rather than accomodate the paid customers (Members); and how come a paying customer can get an extended reservation, ie 5-7 days, and when Members call for a reservation, they often don't have the availability to accomodate a 5-7 day reservation? Is it CRO's and/or DVD's intent to deny the Members' request, for the sake of the bottomline?

Because once a member trades out, members no longer own "that" room. CRO has "that" room for cash - and cash only - until it gets sold - for cash.

Say I want to book a cruise on points for - for ease - say 300 points. 300 points are meaningless to DCL - who needs cash to pay for my cruise. So Disney turns my 300 points into cash by removing an equivalent number of room nights from the system. No one on the outside knows how they determine which room - but say my 300 points are good enough for one week at BWV during Food and Wine, and Disney decides that is what they need for my cruise (I suspect that this happens in bulk, using algorithms, and not on a "crisi's room" but to simplify this, lets look at ONE room).

As far as any other member is concerned, I am staying in that room at BWV (its my home, I could have booked it) and its unavailable to you on points. That Disney has agreed to sell it for cash and I'm actually on a cruise ship in April isn't any other members concern - I've sold that room to Disney so I can cruise. Members no longer "own" it, CRO does.

The reason a cash guest can get a room later is the same reason it costs more to cruise than your points are "worth" from a strict accounting standpoint. Demand. More DVC members trade out than cash guests want DVC rooms. So cash rooms sometimes sit empty. But on the DVC side, demand is balanced - the only way rooms sit empty is if members aren't using their points (except for the small bit of maintenance inventory). So DVC will book full - very likely at BWV before six months out for F&W, but you might find some cash inventory left very late because there hasn't been sufficient demand to sell that room.

 

[Brian Noble]

whenever a DVC members exchanges their points for a DCL cruise, RCI, Adventures by Disney, Concierge Collection, Club Cordial, etc.

For RCI, rooms are not rented out. Instead, rooms are made available to other RCI Members in exchange for their own timeshares.

 

[wdrl]

For RCI, rooms are not rented out. Instead, rooms are made available to other RCI Members in exchange for their own timeshares.

Thanks for correcting me. RCI exchange rules are my weakest subject!

 

[Sammie]

There is much about DVC that I am not fond of, but I do believe they do adhere to the contract we have with them.

There are no rooms set aside for cash versus points. If you knew the inside workings of the resorts you would understand the nightmare that would cause and it would always mean that if you booked a stay on points during the week and an AP rate on the weekend you would be forced to move. We do this all the time and have never been asked to move out of our "points" room and into a "cash" room because they do not exist.

Also the majority of rooms at each resort are available for DVC to book with points. We all have to remember though, that there are now 500,000 members and all we are guaranteed is booking our home resort at 11 months. Many members do trade out, and while that is not a popular use of DVC with us DISers it is a much used option by others.

I might not always agree with Dean but he is spot on when he says, we all need to be aware of what you are buying, when you purchase DVC and sadly it is not always what the guides will lead you to believe it is but it is what the POS outlines, best read the fine print before purchasing.

 

[jagson]

Thanks for the detailed replies; I think I understand it; can DVD buy back points from CRO to satisfy a Member's reservation request? Are they willing to do it, and is it beneficial for them to do so? Isn't it better to fill the rooms with money spending guests?

 

[DebbieB]

Thanks for the detailed replies; I think I understand it; can DVD buy back points from CRO to satisfy a Member's reservation request? Are they willing to do it, and is it beneficial for them to do so? Isn't it better to fill the rooms with money spending guests?

There are cash reservations availablefor members through Member Services, sometimes with a 25% discount.

On rare occasions, DVC can get a room from CRO moved to points at the last minute if it's going to go empty. I assume another room is then moved from points to CRO to make up for it.

Disney will sometimes use the DVC resorts, mostly OKW or SSR, for upgrades from other resorts when they cannot fill the DVC resorts. For example, they offered free upgrades from Values or Moderates that were soldout. That opened a room that was in demand at the value or moderate and gave people a chance to tryout DVC. The DVC rooms would have been empty otherwise.

 

[Chuck S]

Thanks for the detailed replies; I think I understand it; can DVD buy back points from CRO to satisfy a Member's reservation request? Are they willing to do it, and is it beneficial for them to do so? Isn't it better to fill the rooms with money spending guests?

If a room is turned over to CRO as part of "breakage inventory," it can be reclaimed by DVC if it is still available and not already rented. But breakage inventory (rooms turned over to CRO at 60 days if not reserved on points) is the smallest portion of CRO inventory. Most CRO inventory is either:

1) points that are owned by DVD because they have not been sold (as in a new resort where only a portion is declared into DVC inventory)

2) Rooms turned over to offset the cost of DVC trades into the Disney Collection for Cruises, Adventures by Disney or a non-DVC Disney Resort.

3) Ownership (2% to 4%) retained by Disney.

These can not be reclaimed for DVC Point Reservations.

 

[crisi]

Thanks for the detailed replies; I think I understand it; can DVD buy back points from CRO to satisfy a Member's reservation request? Are they willing to do it, and is it beneficial for them to do so? Isn't it better to fill the rooms with money spending guests?

It would be very damaging for them to do so. I give Disney 300 points and get a cruise ticket worth lets say $1,800. Disney has to turn my 300 points into $1800 in cash. They do that by renting a room for cash. If they rent it to you for points, they don't HAVE $1800 in cash.

 

[quirty30]

I don't think they keep them in separate inventory, but I think they know which rooms are in the best condition and allocate them to cash guests. No evidence except anecdotal stories like Chic's and common sense. Its in their best interests to give cash guests the best maintained rooms. If I were DVD and interested in selling rooms, hiring someone to keep track of where cash guests were placed and make sure they were in well maintained rooms would be a justifiable selling expense - especially at a resort like BLT were they are still actively selling.

If they aren't doing that and are risking a cash guest walking into a poorly maintained room and getting turned off on the idea of DVC, then Disney is not nearly as good at marketing as is generally believed.

I would think that the resorts are the ones who decide where to put which Guest. I know that DVC Members ARE treated differently at the resorts when it comes to rooms. The Resorts say that it's DVC policy and DVC says it's the Resorts policy.

Bill

I happen to believe that hotels have inferior rooms that they try to put Priceline customers in, but I can't for the life of me believe that Disney discriminates against DVC members and assigns them inferior villas to those that are assigned to cash guests. It would take a tremendous amount of effort. Can you just imagine how much more difficult it would be for the room assigners to keep track of who exactly is a DVC member and have a list of crappy rooms to put them in? I guess it's just the luck of the draw that in 8 DVC stays I've had a lovely, well maintained room on 7 occasions? The room assigners must have run out of badly maintained rooms to put me in. For the record, the one time I got the crappy room, I was at BWV. I talked to the resort manager (TJ) immediately. He had nothing else available that night and told me to come see him personally in morning and he would move me. He then sent cupcakes up to my studio along with a card. In the end, I decided not to move - it was a weekend stay and a solo trip. I was pretty much just sleeping in the room so I didn't want to deal with the hassle of moving. Do I think they assigned me an inferior room because I'm DVC? Absolutely not. I imagine that room assignments are like a puzzle....I believe they assigned me to that room because that's just how things happened to fit and fall into place on that given day.

Also take into consideration situations with early check-ins. At SSR last fall, we arrived early - about 11AM. I was absolutely exhausted from travel and willing to accept any room that was available for immediate occupancy. The CM told me the room I was assigned to wasn't ready, but checked around to see what was ready. Do you honestly think he had to check and see if it was a room intended for a cash guest and not DVC? Oooh, then again, it was in the Carousel....I bet they did that on purpose!!!!!!

Sorry, but I just had to chime in on that matter. Maybe I'm just incredibly naive, but I don't think so. I simply can't buy into this theory.

 

[crisi]

I happen to believe that hotels have inferior rooms that they try to put Priceline customers in, but I can't for the life of me believe that Disney discriminates against DVC members and assigns them inferior villas to those that are assigned to cash guests. It would take a tremendous amount of effort. Can you just imagine how much more difficult it would be for the room assigners to keep track of who exactly is a DVC member and have a list of crappy rooms to put them in? I guess it's just the luck of the draw that in 8 DVC stays I've had a lovely, well maintained room on 7 occasions? The room assigners must have run out of badly maintained rooms to put me in. For the record, the one time I got the crappy room, I was at BWV. I talked to the resort manager (TJ) immediately. He had nothing else available that night and told me to come see him personally in morning and he would move me. He then sent cupcakes up to my studio along with a card. In the end, I decided not to move - it was a weekend stay and a solo trip. I was pretty much just sleeping in the room so I didn't want to deal with the hassle of moving. Do I think they assigned me an inferior room because I'm DVC? Absolutely not. I imagine that room assignments are like a puzzle....I believe they assigned me to that room because that's just how things happened to fit and fall into place on that given day.

Also take into consideration situations with early check-ins. At SSR last fall, we arrived early - about 11AM. I was absolutely exhausted from travel and willing to accept any room that was available for immediate occupancy. The CM told me the room I was assigned to wasn't ready, but checked around to see what was ready. Do you honestly think he had to check and see if it was a room intended for a cash guest and not DVC? Oooh, then again, it was in the Carousel....I bet they did that on purpose!!!!!!

Sorry, but I just had to chime in on that matter. Maybe I'm just incredibly naive, but I don't think so. I simply can't buy into this theory.

I suspect most rooms are fine - but I don't see this as being a huge effort. You simply have a note on rooms that are recently rehabbed, and match those to cash guests. Or have a note on rooms requiring rehab soon, and make sure you don't put cash guests there. It can be done on the fly at check in.

Disney has, at any given time, more than 25 people scattered behind DVC booths in the parks and the resorts just to set random people up with the tour and a guide and answer basic questions. Would the effort required to make sure cash guests got into well maintained rooms be greater than that?

 

[Disbug1]

Well i am surprised that through "CRO" for 2 wks at Christmas you can book a "Value Studio" @ AKL Jambo Surprised as there are so few of them that i would assume that they would have been "Snapped Up" by DVC Members? But check any other dates in the year through "CRO" & there is no availabilty for that particular room

Interesting Topic

 

[crisi]

Well i am surprised that through "CRO" for 2 wks at Christmas you can book a "Value Studio" @ AKL Jambo Surprised as there are so few of them that i would assume that they would have been "Snapped Up" by DVC Members? But check any other dates in the year through "CRO" & there is no availabilty for that particular room

Interesting Topic

Disney puts the rooms into CRO as "value rooms" - if you book Boardwalk Villas you will get a "standard view" booking - but you'll always get a preferred view room leaving the standard view rooms for members. This gives them maximum flexibility on where to stick cash guests.

 

[dzorn]

Disney puts the rooms into CRO as "value rooms" - if you book Boardwalk Villas you will get a "standard view" booking - but you'll always get a preferred view room leaving the standard view rooms for members. This gives them maximum flexibility on where to stick cash guests.

Not to mention the cash guest is thrilled with the pixie dust that they got a room upgrade.

Denise in MI

 

[Disbug1]

Disney puts the rooms into CRO as "value rooms" - if you book Boardwalk Villas you will get a "standard view" booking - but you'll always get a preferred view room leaving the standard view rooms for members. This gives them maximum flexibility on where to stick cash guests.

Ok but if "I" booked the "Value Studio @AKL Jambo" then this is what i would expect to get a "Value Studio" so why are they available through "CRO" when there are so few of them for DVC members So are u saying "IF" "I" booked the "Value Studio" i may get something different? Just curious

 

[wdrl]

Well i am surprised that through "CRO" for 2 wks at Christmas you can book a "Value Studio" @ AKL Jambo Surprised as there are so few of them that i would assume that they would have been "Snapped Up" by DVC Members? But check any other dates in the year through "CRO" & there is no availabilty for that particular room

Interesting Topic

Keep in mind that only 70.34% of AKV has been declared so far for the DVC membership. DVD, as the developer, owns the rest. As I have said before, DVC members cannot book more than 70.34% of AKV on any given Use Day. Its possible that Club Members have booked more than 70.34% of the other types of accommodations at AKV, such as the savanna view villas or the Concierge Club villas, and DVD is reciprocating by taking some of the Value accommodations in order to keep the balance at 70.34%.

 

[Chuck S]

DVCers do not receive upgrades routinely, to do so would mean that more points are sold in the resort than can be used in a year...illegal under FL timeshare law.

Cash guests are "upgraded" to whatever is available.

DVCers should not expect an upgrade on a points reservation, nor do they have any special status that gives them priority over a cash guest for an upgrade. DVCers should, in theory, never receive an upgrade unless their reserved room type goes out of service for maintenance or other issues. And that seems to be exactly how the resorts work. That is the way the timeshare program is designed, and it seems to be working well.

Just because a cash guest gets an upgrade or perk, like free dining, it has no actual impact on your use of the timeshare you purchased. The value of any timeshare is on the use of that timeshare. If you feel you'd receive more value by booking with cash and receiving free dining or upgrades, then likely the timeshare was not a wise purchase decision.

 

[sdzta]

Thanks to everyone trying to explain.


I never had a problem with my room location or condition using DVC. I am unhappy how it worked that I was unable to get a room for several weeks but there were rooms available to cash paying guests for all of the weeks. I never had a problem getting a room as a cash guest and never realized before purchasing DVC that this would be an issue. I.guess I'll be setting an alarm to remind me to call MS at my 11 month window as soon as they open.

So on another note....does anybody know what the down times for DVC memers are?

 

[crisi]

Ok but if "I" booked the "Value Studio @AKL Jambo" then this is what i would expect to get a "Value Studio" so why are they available through "CRO" when there are so few of them for DVC members So are u saying "IF" "I" booked the "Value Studio" i may get something different? Just curious

They actually aren't available through CRO - Its like booking those category 12s on DCL (are they cat 12s?, I haven't been on the cruise board for a while). DCL sells more of them than available, and upgrades a lot of guests who start in cat 12s. With CRO reservations, CRO puts in the lowest category room into the description, then "upgrades" almost everyone because DVC doesn't actually turn over those value studios.

 

[Disbug1]

They actually aren't available through CRO - Its like booking those category 12s on DCL (are they cat 12s?, I haven't been on the cruise board for a while). DCL sells more of them than available, and upgrades a lot of guests who start in cat 12s. With CRO reservations, CRO puts in the lowest category room into the description, then "upgrades" almost everyone because DVC doesn't actually turn over those value studios.

If u go to "CRO" u can actually book a "Value Studio" at AKL Jambo from the 23rd Dec to 6th Jan,So from what u are saying it sounds as if whoever books the "Value Studio" through "CRO will actually get something else Why would they put it over to "CRO" IF they are NOT Available Am i missing something?